Review

I discovered this book as part of the newly released #PWF Fab 13.  Eve Langlais is a new to me author and sadly I don't think this was the best introduction for me.

It's very difficult to explain what I thought about this book without giving away spoilers, which generally in reviews I am not a fan of, but I will say that this was nothing that I was expecting. 

The pacing of the book didn't work for me, it felt slow and dragged out, and by the time I got to the end I found myself questioning what the point of a lot of it was.  

I think the biggest disappointment for me was how the paranormal side was handled.  To say more would basically give away most of the plot, but although the end left things open for things to start happening in book 2, book 1 didn't go in any direction I could have anticipated, and not in the "oh that is an awesome twist kind of way". 

I don't look at other reviews before reading a book, but I did sneak a peek before writing my review, and for the most part it seems as though I may be out here on my own little ledge with this opinion.  With the exception of a couple of bloggers, readers in general seem to be loving it.   Perhaps they were already fans, or perhaps I am too picky.  Either way it doesn't change my opinion.

A sadly just scraping in at 3 stars from me.

We all have those book friends, OR like me, you ARE that book friend, the one that says "Here Read This!" - sometimes with disclaimers about how it will wreck you ..... other times with no disclaimers at all!

During the Live on Sunday February 23rd we were talking about using a reference from Shattered Memories in her upcoming series - and how I think EVERYONE should read it (You can see the clip of when it happened below).

And that led to this - a very special giveaway!   Musers are a very unique fandom (I think) - and Susan and I wanted to try something a little different. 

To enter - leave a comment ON THIS POST ON THE WEBISTE (comments left on shares around other social media WILL NOT COUNT) - Telling us who you think should get the book to read and why!  The winner will be the person in the comment we think is most deserving and will selected by Susan, Greg, and Myself .  Winner will be announced during the Live show on March 8th (and then posted here on the blog as well on the 9th).   Full rules listed at the bottom of the post.   Good luck everyone! Can't wait to see who nominate and why!

Review

I discovered this book as part of the newly released #PWF Fab 13.  Elizabeth Hunter is not a new to me author but it has been a while since I cracked open one of hers. 

I will start by saying that my advice is not to go too much on the blurb.  I read that and thought oh my goodness that is a whole lot of all the problems to be trying to deal with at one time - but the book is different.  Whilst the heroine is technically dealing with all of those things, many of them hover in the background, only mentioned when relevent to the story.

​It is often said that a sudden shock or trauma can open the door to abilities you never know you had, and that is certainly true in this book.  Elizabeth Hunter very cleverly manages to not only provide a believable gateway for her heroine, but for her friends too.  Suddenly developing a new psychic ability is definitely something that is better when shared.  This story highlights wonderfully how women can support each other through some of the hardest times in their lives, but still find a way to carry on, and even have an adventure. This book took me through a whole gambit of emotions from shock to laughter, happiness to tears.  As the pages turn I actually worked out much of what was likely to happen story wise, (I have taken to calling this "The Melanie Clause" as it was pointed out to me that few people carry as many story plots in their head to draw from as I do), but as this happens often, it didn't detract from the story telling.  This book is beautifully written, and as the first in a new series leaves plenty more to be explored, whilst still providing closure for those that hadn't themselves solved the  mystery that started it all.

A solid 4 stars from me. 

**Although this book says Glimmer Lake #1 it definitely works as a stand alone story**

Review

I discovered this book as part of the newly released #PWF Fab 13.  I had seen Shannon Meyer's work floating around but for whatever reason, somehow this is the first of her books I have actually read. 

Whilst the heroine is over 40, and showing the world that life most certainly doesn't end when you hit that point, for me this felt very much like many other Urban Fantasy books I have read.   I think this would appeal very strongly to fans of Kim Harrison's Hollows series (which I myself thoroughly enjoy), but it definitely felt as though the story would have worked and been just as marketable without the PWF involvement. 

That being said, Shannon's writing style is one I can appreciate.  Her characters are layered, and although the premise of underground supernatural societies policing other supernaturals isn't new, this has some interesting elements thrown in.

A soild 4 stars from me and a recommendation for fans that enjoy Urban Fantasy. 

The book sets the reader up for more adventures with Breanna and her new job and the next book is available for pre-order and scheduled to release in May 2020.

Review

#PWF - Paranormal Women's Fiction is not actually something I had heard of before this release.  To be honest, anything with the words "Women's Fiction" in the description would normally have me running in the other direction, but this was not what I was expecting at all.

Finally we have some kick-ass heroines out there, dealing with the same things that many of us over 40's deal with..... kids, body changes, the necessary evil of trying to guess how long you are going to have to be standing as that will dictate the option of great versus practical shoes, but then these ladies all get a little unusual extra on their plate.

Followers of my reviews will know that I don't really have an age criteria preference, from YA to Historical, I will pretty much read them all, and still love following along with the adventures of those a good few years younger than me, but this? This was fantastic! Donna Barrone is definitely a woman I could relate to.  Kids have moved out, (I mean the mob hubby was a lot left field of my life), but the food decisions, and as I already mentioned the SHOE choices (can you tell this was a big deal for me?), and then a huge paranormal shift occurring was definitely something I could get behind. 

My reviews are spoiler free so you will have to grab the book to see what that paranormal shift involved, but I will say you won't be disappointed.  This book had me laughing out loud as I connected so easily with Donna's inner monolgue.  I am so glad that #PWF is making a stand for the non 20 year olds out there and cannot wait to devour more. 

An easy, sparkling 5 stars from me (that I will leave on the page and not add to my jeans - when you read the book that will make more sense - leave me a comment when you get it!)

I will mention that although the end isn't a cliffhanger in the worse sense of the world, it definitely finishes with reader being ready for the story to continue.  Luckily Book 2 is already available for Pre-Order with a planned release of April 28th 2020.

Post Adapted From An Original Blog I Posted In 2012 - And I Feel Still Very Relevent. 

“Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs Darling” -  possibly one of my favorite lines from the cult classic, dark comedy, Heathers which features a young Christian Slater as the bad boy from a severely dysfunctional background who kills off the popular kids in school making it look like a series of suicides. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend checking it out.

Whilst this in itself amuses the hell out of me, the movie does, in spite of the fact it is 30 years old, address issues that are all so relevent in today’s schools.  Bullying.  Although now it is all about cyber bullying and how “words can hurt”. 

Now I am probably going to upset a lot of people, but really if you ask me this is a situation that schools themselves have created.  All children ARE NOT EQUAL any more than all adults are, and the sooner they learn this and deal with the fact the better adjusted they will be.  Schools create this “everyone is a winner” philosophy with no proper competitions so there are no losers and then wonder why as teenagers these children suddenly feel rejected and unable to cope with the world.

Well my readers the world in general SUCKS!! Life is NOT fair ….. You are not going to get everything you want and people are going to be MEAN.  At least with this cyber bullying you can just TURN OFF THE COMPUTER and not have to see it.  Instead of pandering to all these crying children we should be teaching them that it is OK to be different.  I went through school revelling in the fact that I was an outcast.  I never cared what people said, I never dressed how they wanted, or listened to what they thought was “IN” and honestly nothing much has changed.  I lived in my vamp obsessed world long before popular culture dragged vampires kicking and screaming, sparkling into the daylight.  I dealt with mean comments by being so different that people were scared of me.  Yes they whispered in corridors and made their little jokes about how weird I was but each one I took as a compliment and they had no idea how to deal with that.

In many ways I have my late father to thank for this.  He raised me to be me. To understand that I would not be the best at everything and sometimes I would lose but I should always go down fighting and to this day that is the mantra I live by and it is how I raise my children.  To not be afraid if their opinion doesn’t match those around them but to stick with it even if sometimes they are going to be wrong.  At least they HAVE their own opinion and will not be raised as sheep!

This is why I love my vampires so.  Try as they might to hide who they are (or in their better cases they don’t try at all), their true nature always wins out in the end and it is that nature that I love and I always will.  How Very!! *Mwah*

Comments and opinions always welcome! Leave me your thoughts below.